Bangor officials to discuss KahBang's abrupt departure
The Bangor City Council tonight is expected to discuss whether KahBang Festival organizers may have breached a contract with the city after suddenly relocating to Portland, just weeks before the festival is scheduled to happen Aug. 7-10.
City Council Chairman Ben Sprague told the Bangor Daily News that he and other city officials did not receive advance notice of the relocation. He said most of them learned about the sudden move in a BDN story that broke the news on July 17.
Sprague said KahBang festival organizers may have broken its 2013-2016 contract with the city regarding use of the Bangor Waterfront. But the city likely will not seek legal action against the organizers, even if the option was available, he added.
KahBang's contract with the city stipulates that the Bangor Waterfront will be set aside for one weekend a year through 2016. The city can terminate the contract if “KahBang fails to comply with the notice provision” or fails to “observe any of the other covenant, terms or conditions,” according to the agreement.
KahBang organizers have said the music, film and arts festival was relocated to various venues in Portland because of a “series of logistic issues” in Bangor. Low ticket sales and the inability to locate a nearby campsite for attendees and artists were two such issues.
Joshua Gass, the festival's executive director, told Mainebiz last week that the move is “bittersweet,” and that organizers will consider the festival's future by the end of the year.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments